Missouri to play in NCAA regional

After a tough loss to Kansas on Saturday in the Big 12 Conference Tournament, the Tigers welcomed an invitation to play in their fourth straight NCAA Regional on Monday.

Missouri (31-25) was given the fourth seed and will play top-seeded Pepperdine University (40-19) at 5 p.m. Friday in the Malibu Regional.

UCLA (32-23) and UC Irvine (36-22) will match up to begin the regional at 1 p.m. Friday. The tournament will last through June 5 if a Game 7 is necessary. The champion of the tournament will face the winner of the Fullerton Regional on June 9.

Pepperdine won the West Coast Conference Championship to earn an automatic bid to the regionals. This will mark its 23rd appearance in the tournament, and the school will be hosting for the first time.

Missouri has played in regionals 11 times. Last year, the Tigers lost their first game of the Fullerton Regional against Arizona but defeated Harvard to avoid elimination. The Tigers ended the season at 40-23 after a loss against Cal State-Fullerton.

Missouri defeated both Oklahoma State and Oklahoma in the Big 12 tournament to advance their winning streak to a season-high six games until Kansas defeated the Tigers, 4-3, Saturday. Kansas won its first title with a 9-7 victory over Nebraska.

Six Tigers players received honors after Big 12 play ended. Designated hitter Jacob Priday and pitcher Nathan Culp were named to the All-Conference first team. Outfielders Evan Frey and Zane Taylor and pitchers Max Scherzer and Travis Wendte received honorable mentions.